Treatment devices, in particular automated treatment devices, for example tissue processors or automatic stainers, are often used for the treatment of histological or cytological samples. These treatment devices usually contain a plurality of containers in which the different treatment agents, usually chemically effective liquids, that are required for the individual treatment steps are located. The samples are usually automatically introduced successively into the containers by suitable handling apparatuses.
There are also processors that comprise only a single container into which the samples to be treated are introduced. The treatment agents provided for the respective pending treatment step are automatically placed into that container, and removed again after the respective treatment step.
The treatment agents must be regularly replaced or replenished, because they are consumed and/or because they have only a limited working life.
With processors in particular it is usual to use containers, in particular system containers, that are standardized in terms of their shape and size, and to replace them as necessary with replacement containers of the same shape and size having fresh treatment agent. System containers that can be replenished as necessary can additionally be installed in processors.
With automatic stainers, the containers are usually replenished or refilled when the respective staining chemical falls below a minimum fill level or is no longer usable. Groups of staining agents, called “staining kits,” that contain several individual chemicals are often used, each of the individual chemicals needing to be introduced into a separate container of the automatic stainer. In most automatic stainers, staining can be performed without difficulty using the treatment agents of different staining kits. In this context, an automatic stainer of this kind can comprise containers in which the treatment agents of a first staining kit are located, while the treatment agents of a second staining kit are located in other containers.
DE 100 10 140 A1 discloses an apparatus for preferably automatic handling and/or processing of specimens, in particular in the field of medical technology. The apparatus comprises at least a processing station and a sample carrier for conveying a specimen to the processing station, through the processing station, and away from the processing station. The sample carrier has a code with which information about the specimen and/or about the handling or processing of the specimen can be associated, the information being readable or retrievable via the code.
DE 10 2007 008 713 A1 discloses a tissue infiltration apparatus for samples located in cassettes. The tissue infiltration apparatus encompasses at least two liquid containers and a transport apparatus. A liquid having a predefinable property can be introduced into the liquid container. The transport apparatus is embodied in such a way that with it, at least two transport baskets are transportable within the tissue infiltration apparatus. With the transport apparatus, a transport basket can be conveyed to a liquid container or moved away from a liquid container. It is possible to predefine an execution sequence in which the transport baskets pass through the liquid containers of the tissue infiltration apparatus. The transport baskets, or the cassettes transported therewith, can comprise a barcode or a machine-readable imprint or a transponder, so that the whereabouts within the tissue infiltration apparatus of a cassette having the specimen arranged therein, or of a transport basket, can be ascertained therewith.
DE 100 52 834 A1 discloses a method for treating specimens, in particular cytological or histological prepared specimens, for example in an automatic stainer. In the method, the specimens are conveyed by means of a transport device, preferably on sample carriers and in sample carrier magazines, to various processing stations, inserted thereinto, and treated in accordance with a selectable or predefinable or programmable treatment program. For this, there is an unequivocal association of the sample carriers or sample carrier magazines, or clips or labeling fields to be applied thereonto, with specific treatment programs.
DE 100 52 833 A1 discloses a method for treating specimens, in particular cytological or histological prepared specimens, for example in an automatic stainer, in which the specimens are conveyed by means of a transport device, preferably on sample carriers and in sample carrier magazines, to various processing stations, inserted thereinto, and treated in accordance with a predefinable treatment program. Automatic monitoring of the reagents occurs, predefinable parameters being considered in the monitoring. Those parameters relate, for example, to working life limits or to physical composition.
DE 10 2012 216 336 A1 discloses an automatic stainer for staining, in particular hematoxylin-eosin (H & E) staining, of a histological sample, which exposes the sample to the action of at least one staining agent with application of at least one staining parameter. The automatic stainer comprises an input means with which a staining parameter is definable, in particular is inputtable or is selectable from a plurality of possible staining parameters. The automatic stainer furthermore comprises a control apparatus that, upon application of the defined staining parameter, ascertains the predicted expected result of an action and indicates it to the user with an indicating apparatus, although the automatic stainer does not actually stain the sample. The properties of a staining kit can be communicated to the automatic stainer by automatic readout of a barcode or an RFID chip arranged on the supplier packaging of the staining kit, and taken into consideration by the control apparatus.
DE 10 2012 216 330 A1 discloses a method for processing a histological sample, in which method the histological sample is acted upon with the application at least one processing parameter. A processing parameter is defined, and the predicted expected result upon application of the defined processing parameter is ascertained and indicated, although the sample is not actually modified in that context.